Dirty Talk: Don't Miss Limited-Run Theater at The Clubhouse in East Hampton

The Clubhouse Hamptons in Wainscott is one of those “something for everyone” venues, offering live music and comedy, bowling and mini golf, an arcade and bar, and as of this year, theatrical productions, too. It’s been a long wait since The Clubhouse’s debut play in April, and they recently announced that their second production, a lesser-known gem by Michael Puzzo titled The Dirty Talk, will receive a limited run December 5–6.

Debuting a new genre of entertainment is difficult for most venues, and if the first test doesn’t generate enough buzz, a second attempt is unlikely. When Nimbus Productions co-founders Edward Kassar and Joe Pallister presented that first production, a staged reading of Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story, they couldn’t be sure which way the experiment would go.

“The last night we did it, we thought we should cancel. We only had five pre-sales. And then we ended up selling out on just walk-ins. We had to add seats! A lot of people were there because they read about it,” Kassar says, thanking local papers for the much-needed coverage. “It really was as successful as I could have hoped for.”

Much of the talent that made The Zoo Story production a success in The Clubhouse’s intimate performance space is returning for The Dirty Talk. Kassar is reprising his roles as actor and producer, and Steve Hamilton is transitioning from a creative consultant to the show’s director. “He has a great reputation as a director and … he’s very well-known on the East End,” Kassar says of Hamilton, whose resume includes shows at Guild Hall, Bay Street Theater, The Stephen Talkhouse and other New York institutions. “I just love his approach. Besides his knowledge and expertise, he’s just easy to work with.”

Kassar’s acting/business partner, however, had a prior commitment. Pallister is currently starring in The Crucible at Bay Street, so Kassar needed to look outside Nimbus for the other half to this two-man show. John Kroft came highly recommended. “He’s a very talented young actor who came to me through (LTV Studios Associate Producer) Josh Gladstone,” Kassar explains, noting that the Julliard-trained actor has appeared in film, television and onstage productions. “He’s just fabulous.”

Kassar and Kroft have a deep, thought-provoking script, “laced with humor,” to sink their teeth into. In The Dirty Talk, Puzzo explores themes of intimacy, identity and acceptance through a pair of strangers who meet at a remote cabin under false pretenses and get stranded there during a violent storm.

“It explores what defines a man, or a person, and the lies we tell each other and tell ourselves,” Kassar says. “We don’t truly know what defines someone until we get to know them a bit; things are not always what they appear to be when it comes to people.”

He emphasizes that even though the 45-minute play focuses on two men, its message about being honest with oneself is valuable to all. “It really reflects on themes that are universal,” Kassar says. “You want people to have questions and thoughts, and to have provocative dialogue about what they just saw, and I think this play will do that.”

See The Dirty Talk on Tuesday, December 5 or Wednesday, December 6. Drinks are available at the bar from 6–7 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $29 at eventbrite.com/o/nimbus-productions-74922833133 and at the door. The Clubhouse is located at 174 Daniels Hole Road, Wainscott. For more information, visit clubhousehamptons.com.